Category: Interviews

Lions & Cheetahs & Rhinos! OH MY! Launch Party Day Six!

8/20/2020

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Animal artwork by Vincenti from Tanzania

OH MY! Kids:
Sub-Saharan Artists

Ally
from Tanzania

"My favorite animal is the lion (Simba in Swahili) because its the king of beasts and it has an awesome mane. In art class, I learned how to paint pictures more realistically by blending colors. I used to draw all the time when I was younger but its knowing how to paint that can make a picture look real. It feels amazing that our work will be in the book and I hope they feel amazed by our talents and that its interesting for them!"

Christopher
from Malawi

"My favorite African animal to paint is a lion because it’s so beautiful and easy for me to draw (I love tigers for the same reason!). In art class, I have learned carefulness and neatness and to take your time. I feel really good and proud to know that our talent will be known across the world and I hope kids who read the book will get more drawing skills and believe in themselves--they can also do it!"

Lerato
from Malawi

"My favorite animal to paint is the horse because of the way it moves. I love to paint the hair moving as it runs, but for African animals my favorite is the elephant. I have learned a lot in art class like how to mix different colors but also how to make sure that the animal is in the same position in the painting as it is in the photo you work from. Maybe its running, or walking or just standing, but you have to make sure you are showing those movements and positions. I feel good about my art being featured in a children’s book so that our art can be known to so many children and they can see and learn from us. I hope American kids will get some knowledge about different animals, what they look like, the way they run and eat and do so many things and also learn to believe in themselves that they can do it and do better!"

Paulo
from Tanzania

"My favorite animal is the black panther because they have good hunting skills and I love the movie Black Panther. In art class, I leaned that art is part of my talents, its something I hadn’t really tried before. It feels really great that my work is included in the book and I hope kids everywhere will enjoy it. I hope they will be good artists and learn that art is a good talent to have."

Rahim
from Tanzania

"My favorite animal to paint is the cheetah because it is so fast. In art class, I learned how to paint and blend the colors, but I love the idea of being in the book because I could be a famous artist! I hope that kids in America will be proud of our talent and want to paint just like us"

Samuel
from Kenya

"My favorite animal is the cheetah. This is because from my childhood I used to hear about its speed, where it is the fastest animal in the world. In art class, I have learned how to sketch and make the drawing proportional without using the grid method. I learned painting and also putting very important details. I also learned how to use different kind of brushes, mixing colors and coming up with different colors. It makes me feel very good to know that my art is being featured in a children's book. I am really proud of that! I really hope American kids will get inspired by the book, feeling enjoyment when reading about African wild animals. And for those who are talented in art, I hope they will get inspired."

Vicenti
from Tanzania

"My favorite animal to paint is the cheetah because I love the shape of the body and carefully painting the spots. In art class, I have learned to never give up if the picture looks bad--keep going and it will eventually be all right. I have also learned not to get too excited before you finish your picture because you can mess up the picture. I feel really great that I am in the book and I hope American kids will be excited about it. I hope they will notice that art is a great skill that you can learn."

Yohani
from Tanzania

"I love to paint elephants on sunsets, impalas and cheetahs. These animals are fun for me to draw and paint. In art class, we worked on doing reflections in the water of animals as they walk along and that was really hard. It feels wonderful to be included in the book and I hope all other kids will like it!"

The ten young people interviewed here contributed artwork published in LIONS & CHEETAHS & RHINOS! OH MY!, written by Moira Donohue and John Platt, and published by Sleeping Bear Press. When painting the animal portraits found in the book, they were from 10 to 23 years old and lived in Tanzania, Kenya, and Malawi. They learned how to draw, paint and depict African wildlife from professional artists volunteering with How To Draw A Lion, an art-based education program founded by John Platt, an award-winning New York based artist. How to Draw a Lion is a nonprofit with low overhead that raises funds by hosting art shows with the children's art. Some of the young artists in the program, like Samuel, have gone on to become professional art instructors themselves. Find out more at drawalion.com.

"A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

Win a chance to receive a signed copy of this book by leaving a comment anytime during the party's duration!

All images used with permission of Sleeping Bear Press

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Lions & Cheetahs & Rhinos! OH MY! Launch Party Day Five!

8/19/2020

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Animal artwork by Yahani from Tanzania

OH MY! Kidlit Book Designer:
Felicia Macheske

When you first read John and Moira’s manuscript for LIONS & CHEETAHS & RHINOS OH MY!, why did you fall in love with it?

I have always loved animals, so it was very easy for me to enjoy this book. The text is fun and has both a sense of humor and a sense of adventure while sharing factual valuable information about the animals.

Why did you also fall in love with the idea that the book would be illustrated by children living in the sub-Saharan parts of Africa?

I thought this book was a wonderful opportunity to be able to give these children some way to be recognized for their accomplishments. The book is also a great way for children in the United States to relate to children in other parts of the world.

Were there any particular challenges during this book’s creation?

This book was a very different process from most books I work on, so that was an interesting change for me. John gathered all the art, the permissions, and handled getting the art scanned. My biggest challenge was taking paintings by many children and creating a cohesive looking book. A book needs to feel like a single thing. I took hints from where the children live and from the wildlife they depicted. That lead me to choose patterns that echo the animals depicted and the environment of the African countries the children reside in. I also took hints from the children’s paintings and from some of John’s paintings to determine the color palette I worked with.

How did you feel when the kids' artwork started coming in?

I was pleased. The paintings by these children are quite accomplished. I thought they were beautiful and deserved a very special presentation in the book. Once I started putting things together, I had a lot of fun with the design of the book.

What do you love about the final product and why do you hope kids here in the U.S. will read it?

I am pleased with the cheerfulness of the book. And I love the photographs of the children on the back of the book. I think children in the U.S. will be fascinated that these are paintings done by children like them and will want to try drawing a lion, or they can try drawing the wildlife they see near their homes, or even their own pet.

Felicia Macheske is a book designer, art director and fine artist. She has been designing and art directing books at Sleeping Bear Press for twenty years. She also works on series book design for several other imprints for Cherry Lake Publishing. Felicia received her Master of Fine Arts degree from Arizona State University specializing in drawing. She continues to paint, draw, and experiment with mosaics in her free time.

Win a chance to receive a signed copy of this book by leaving a comment anytime during the party's duration!

Ten African animals, including lions, zebras, giraffes, and elephants, are brought to life in colorful artwork, accompanied by fun nature facts. Written by John Platt and Moira Rose Donohue, each animal portrait is painted by a student from the How to Draw a Lion program. Established in 2018 by New York artist John Platt, How to Draw a Lion is a nonprofit art education program that provides art classes for children in sub-Saharan Africa (Sleeping Bear Press, August 15, 2020).

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

All art used by permission from Sleeping Bear Press.

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Lions & Cheetahs & Rhinos! OH MY! Launch Party Day Four!

8/18/2020

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Animal artwork by Pamphy from Kenya

OH MY! Kidlit Editor:
Barb McNally

When you first read John and Moira’s manuscript for LIONS & CHEETAHS & RHINOS OH MY!, why did you fall in love with it?

What intrigued me about the project was how the book could be “assembled.” Normally you have a manuscript and then you select an artist and go on from there. In this case, we would be working backward. We knew what the art would be like--paintings done by African children working with John Platt's nonprofit, Draw a Lion--but needed to design the book around it. I also was taken with the organization’s mission of educating and supporting young artists in Africa.

How did you pitch the project during your acquisition meeting, and why were you excite to do so?

It wasn’t the easiest of pitches, as everyone immediately saw the challenges of the project. But I kept my focus on the importance of John’s mission and how wonderful it would be to bring it to young readers in the U.S. I was confident we could handle the design challenges because we have fantastic designers.

What were your thoughts about the manuscript being illustrated by children living in the sub-Saharan parts of Africa?

I loved the idea of having children illustrate the book. They are, after all, the intended audience for a picture book and to show their visual interpretation of the subject was a real flip-flop of the process. At this point, we had seen only a small selection of the images proposed, so it was exciting to think about how each young artist would tackle their animal topic.

Were there any particular challenges when revising the text? If so, how did you and the authors work together to work out the wrinkles?

Initially, text changes were minimal and more along the lines of verifying the science content. It was later when we needed to change the title of the book that it became apparent that we needed to make sure the text supported the message of the new title. We had some good back-and-forth discussions of how to get the text there and I think we were pleased with the end result.

How do you feel about the final product and why do you hope kids here in the U.S. will read it?

I absolutely love how the book has turned out! The artwork from the children is just gorgeous and their skill level is extraordinary—a real testament to John and his program. I would love for all young readers to enjoy the book, absorb the science facts/think about the animal conservation message, and then look at the artwork and say, “This is something I can do.” How wonderful to inspire young artists!

Artwork by Penuel from Kenya

Barb McNally has been in the book industry for more than 30 years. She is a senior children’s editor at Sleeping Bear Press and has been with the company for 18 years.

Win a chance to receive a signed copy of this book by leaving a comment anytime during the party's duration!

Ten African animals, including lions, zebras, giraffes, and elephants, are brought to life in colorful artwork, accompanied by fun nature facts. Written by John Platt and Moira Rose Donohue, each animal portrait is painted by a student from the How to Draw a Lion program. Established in 2018 by New York artist John Platt, How to Draw a Lion is a nonprofit art education program that provides art classes for children in sub-Saharan Africa (Sleeping Bear Press, August 15, 2020).

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

All art used buy permission of Sleeping Bear Press

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Lions & Cheetahs & Rhinos! OH MY! Launch Party Day Three!

8/17/2020

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Animal artwork by Rahim from Tanzania

OH MY! Kidlit Agent:
Jennifer Unter

When Moira and John first spoke to you about their idea of writing LIONS & CHEETAHS & RHINOS OH MY!, why were you excited about it?

I loved the idea of a picture book with art by children, and when I saw the art, I was blown away. The art is so beautiful and life-like and I just fell in love with it. I also love the fact that we would be helping those very kids who drew the animals!

I was blown away, too! When deciding who to submit the project to, why did you send it to Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press?

I sent it to Barb since she does very interesting books that are usually a little serious and a little out-of-the-box.

That makes sense! What was Barb's initial response after reading the manuscript and was the acquisition process an exciting one?

Barb loved it immediately. It’s always an exciting process when an editor loves and buys the book!

How do you feel about the manuscript being illustrated by children, even though this is not the industry norm?

I love the idea. You would never know that children illustrated this book since the art is so sophisticated. It’s almost like the animals are glowing, there’s so much life in them.

I agree! How do you feel about the final product, and why do you hope kids here in the U.S. will read it?

It’s a gorgeous book. I think kids in the US will see this art and realize that these children get to see these magnificent animals all the time, which is such a different experience than what we live here in the States. Whenever you can see how someone else lives, you are hopefully expanding your horizons and learning more than what you knew before you read the book.

Jennifer Unter of The Unter Agency has worked in many aspects of the publishing industry from editorial at Henry Holt, to a copyright lawyer at an entertainment firm. In addition to placing projects at domestic and foreign publishers, she also sells to audio, film and television. She is a member of Women’s Media Group. You will find her tweeting @JenniferUnter.

Win a chance to receive a signed copy of this book by leaving a comment anytime during the party's duration!

Ten African animals, including lions, zebras, giraffes, and elephants, are brought to life in colorful artwork, accompanied by fun nature facts. Written by John Platt and Moira Rose Donohue, each animal portrait is painted by a student from the How to Draw a Lion program. Established in 2018 by New York artist John Platt, How to Draw a Lion is a nonprofit art education program that provides art classes for children in sub-Saharan Africa (Sleeping Bear Press, August 15, 2020).

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

Art used by permission of Sleeping Bear Press

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Lions & Cheetahs & Rhinos! OH MY! Launch Party Day Two!

8/16/2020

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Animal artwork by Yohani from Tanzania

OH MY! Kidlit Author:
Moira Rose Donohue

When you first met John Platt while visiting Tanzania, Africa, at the Rift Valley Children’s Village where he teaches children art and where you daughter was working, why did you decide to join him in writing LIONS & CHEETAHS & RHINOS! OH MY!

When I first met John, I wanted to sit in on one of his art classes to see how he taught children to draw and paint. I was so impressed. As we began to talk about our work (I think I was working on a book about the rainforest for National Geographic at the time), we found we shared a creative vision and appreciated each other’s processes. And we shared some unusual overlapping interests as well. I discovered that John had a playlist with big band music that I could use to teach the children how to tap dance!

We didn’t know what we might create together, but before we said goodbye, we promised to give some thought to a joint project. As I reflected upon my time with John, I came to appreciate more fully this young, talented man who was donating his talent as an art teacher, as well as his time every summer, to teach painting and drawing to children in east Africa. I knew we had to do something to highlight their art.

When deciding on the format to tell this informational nonfiction picture book, why did you both decide on focusing on using the phrase “if you want to draw a lion…”?

My recollection is that, like most creative things, the idea to use that phrase just came to both of us from some creative force in the universe. When we started seriously bouncing ideas back and forth, it stuck. Even though I don’t usually write in second person, it seemed like the right approach for this book—I hope readers agree!

When you saw the artwork for the book created by children living in sub-Saharan Africa, how did it make you feel?

Not being an artist, I am in awe of anyone who can paint or draw something recognizable! But when I first saw this artwork, I was stunned by its beauty. It fills your eyes with vibrant color and depicts such gorgeous creatures. And it reminds us all that art has no boundaries, geographic, or otherwise--it is for everyone.

I agree! Why did you decide to donate your portion of the proceeds of this book to John’s nonprofit, How to Draw a Lion?

Actually, we are donating all of our proceeds to the nonprofit. We are both committed to continuing John’s teaching every summer in several African countries because it helps children who would not otherwise be exposed to his art lessons. Naturally, airfare and lodging for three months is expensive and John has been spending his own money to provide this creative outlet. But he can return year after year if some of his expenses are covered through the donations to drawalion.com. Further, the children can continue receiving their art education.

Why do you hope children here in the United States will read LIONS & CHEETAHS & RHINOS! OH MY!?

I hope they will see the incredible artwork that children who live far away from them have created--especially children from different cultures with different lifestyles. And I hope they will be inspired to make art of their own. In addition, as an animal lover who has written a number of books about animals and who has been lucky enough to go on several safaris, I want children here to get learn something about the amazing animals that live on the African continent.

Moira Rose Donohue is the award-winning author of over 30 books for children, mostly nonfiction. She began writing for children after her defection from the practice of banking law. She has published several books with National Geographic, including LITTLE KIDS FIRST BIG BOOK ABOUT THE RAIN FOREST. Her book GREAT WHITE SHARKS is a Junior Library Guild Selection, and her fictional books about punctuation marks, ALFIE AND THE PUNCTUATION BEE and PENNY AND THE PUNCTUATION BEE, are favorites in the classroom. Moira is a co-regional advisor of the Florida SCBWI. She lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with her dog, Petunia. moirarosedonohue.net

Win a chance to receive a signed copy of this book by leaving a comment anytime during the party's duration!

Ten African animals, including lions, zebras, giraffes, and elephants, are brought to life in colorful artwork, accompanied by fun nature facts. Written by John Platt and Moira Rose Donohue, each animal portrait is painted by a student from the How to Draw a Lion program. Established in 2018 by New York artist John Platt, How to Draw a Lion is a nonprofit art education program that provides art classes for children in sub-Saharan Africa (Sleeping Bear Press, August 15, 2020).

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

All art used by permission of Sleeping Bear Press.

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Lions & Cheetahs & Rhinos! OH MY! Launch Party Day One!

8/15/2020

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Animal artwork by Samuel from Kenya

OH MY! Kidlit Author:
John Platt

How did the idea come to you of using the beautiful, expressive art of African animals painted by children living in sub-Sharan Africa whose talents are revealed while enrolled in your art-education program, How To Draw A Lion?

I first had the idea of doing a children’s book back in 2016 and started putting art aside for it then, choosing whichever pieces I thought were really strong that the kids had already done. I didn’t want to make the project about the kids doing something specific for the book, but rather shaping the book around the kids’ creativity.

Why were you excited about the idea of working together with Moira Donohue on the children's book that includes the children's art, LIONS & CHEETAHS & RHINOS! OH MY!, out today from Sleeping Bear Press?

Moira and I met in 2017 in Tanzania, which was total serendipity because she was already a well-known author and I really love her work, especially Penny and the Punctuation Bee, which is such a fun read but also so educational for kids. She attended one of the art classes and saw all the wonderful wildlife paintings the kids were doing. As it turned out, her forthcoming book was Little Kids First Big Book of the Rainforest with National Geographic and we bonded over our shared love of the hyacinth macaw. I mentioned to her my idea for a children’s book on African animals with the kids’ art and we ran with it.

What was your process as you and Moira worked together--going from idea to manuscript from manuscript to book?

I put together a rough outline and Moira and I carefully edited it together. Navigating children’s book writing is really something to do with a professional and Moira’s understanding of prose, structure and editing really shaped the book into what it is today. Moreover she gave the manuscript to her agent who found us a publisher so it really wouldn’t have happened without her, and I am so grateful!

Why did you decide to donate your share of the book's profits to How to Draw a Lion?

It was easy for us to make the decision that all proceeds should go back to the kids through How to Draw a Lion. The focus of the program is really about creative opportunities for youth and we weren’t interested in taking any of the potential revenue stream for ourselves.

That's wonderful, John! How did you feel when you saw the final book?

I was blown away by the book when I first saw it. Felicia, the book's designer, did such an amazing job and I cant wait for others to see it as well! I hope that kids feel inspired to create their own works of art, not just of animals, but to understand there is a whole world in visual art waiting to be discovered!

John Platt is a New York-based artist and founder of How to Draw A Lion, a program providing art classes for children, raising money for their education and creating awareness about child welfare and conservation. The program has taken shape around art classes in several sub-Saharan African nations and the U.S. With an extremely low overhead, no offices and no administrative costs, How to Draw A Lion is a sustainable model of art education and fundraising. Additionally, the How to Draw A Lion student-teacher program allows former students to become educators in their own communities year round. To learn more about this nonprofit, visit drawalion.com. To learn more about John, the artist, visit JohnPlattStudio.com.

Win a chance to receive a signed copy of this book by leaving a comment anytime during the party's duration!

Ten African animals, including lions, zebras, giraffes, and elephants, are brought to life in colorful artwork, accompanied by fun nature facts. Written by John Platt and Moira Rose Donohue, each animal portrait is painted by a student from the How to Draw a Lion program. Established in 2018 by New York artist John Platt, How to Draw a Lion is a nonprofit art education program that provides art classes for children in sub-Saharan Africa (Sleeping Bear Press, August 15, 2020).

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

All art used by permission from Sleeping Bear Press.

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Meet Extraordinaire Kidlit Artist Sam Hundley

7/24/2020

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Welcome to my blog, Sam! I'm delighted to have you (and your gorgeous art) here!

Happy to oblige!

First question: How did you find your way to becoming a kidlit scrap artist?

I was a newspaper artist for 39 years, got laid off, became bored, wrote a little fable that was bouncing around in my head, realized it was possible to create the characters with found objects so they could be posed in different positions and tell a story. So, I decided to design a 32-page picture book. Finding a publisher for it was the hard part!

Glad you got those ideas out of your head and into the 3-D world! What do you like about creating humorous characters out of scrap metal?

It’s a relaxing way to make art. I daydream, allowing intuition to guide me. The results often surprise me, so I continue doing it.

Describe your process, please.

I take buckets of junk that I’ve collected from all over and also things that are donated to me by generous friends (dug relics, plastic bits, beach combing flotsam, metal, wood, etc.) and pour it onto the studio floor. For the children’s book characters, I imagine a goat, for instance, then I find things that work together in the proper scale--a paint brush becomes his head and beard, nails are his horns, a key winder nose, rubber tire fragment body, etc. Then I photograph it with my iPhone and design the book on my desktop Mac.

Tell me a little about your upcoming book, Gifts of the Magpie?

My mother called me a “magpie” when I was little because I liked to collect stuff. That memory and my experience as a scrap artist inspired me to start thinking about writing a story. Six months after being laid off, I woke up to a soft, April rain and as I lay there, inspiration struck and I wrote Gifts of the Magpie in under an hour. It’s about a generous magpie who is good at finding things, so she asks her friends what they want. She gets everything wrong and disappoints everyone--until they realize, by using a little creativity, she gave them exactly what they needed. It contains a hopeful message of positive thinking, plus some fun wordplay and of course, lots of scrap art! Capstone is publishing it in early 2021.

Congrats on your book! I can't wait to read it! Is it fun, creating stories out of your work?

Is it fun? This late bloomer is having a blast!

Your delight is evident in the objects! What are you working on now?

I’m always creating personal work, like the Keep On Truckin’ tribute to R. Crumb, selling a few pieces, working on three commissions. In July, Capstone agreed to publish my second picture book, Tag and the Magic Squeaker, about a mouse who teams up with a dog to put one over on a cat. And my third book, The Hangry Pizzly Bear, which incorporates over 30 portmanteaus, is under consideration.

Haha! Sounds artliciously fun! Well, thanks for stopping by and for sharing a little bit about your kidlit journey with me. It's been a blast!

Enjoyed it, Dionna!

Sam Hundley was born in Phoenix in 1958, and had a successful career as a newspaper artist/designer until he retired in 2017. He's married with two grown daughters and lives and works in Ocean View, Norfolk, VA.
Sam began collecting found objects (metal debris, road gloves, flattened cans, etc.) in 1990 while working in San Jose, CA and in 2009, back in Virginia, he began devoting himself to creating art using these things. It was like a faucet being turned on full blast. His solo exhibition was in 2012 and he's shown his work at local galleries several times since. He also began leading workshops to share his philosophy of seeing and utilizing the beauty that surrounds us.
Today, Sam spends most of my time in his home studio, where he recently illustrated and designed the 2019 Meat Puppets album, DUSTY NOTES (2018), designed an e-book for kids, SCRAP ART ALPHABET (2018) and created his first children’s book, GIFTS OF THE MAGPIE, to be released in early 2021.

All images used with the permission of the artist, Sam Hundley

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Welcoming Jen Malia, TOO STICKY Author

5/3/2020

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Inside illustration from TOO STICKY (Albert Whitman & Co., 2020) (C) Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

Find Jen at jenmalia.com and on Twitter @jenmaliabooks.

So happy to have you, here on my blog, Jen!

Thanks for inviting me, Dionna!

First question for you. How did you find your way to becoming a picture-book writer?

As a selectively mute child, I preferred reading and writing to speaking, so it was natural for me to become a writer. My interest in books led me to get a doctorate in English and to become a tenured English professor at Norfolk State University. When I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in my late thirties, my writing became a mission to advocate for the autistic community. I began to write essays for publications like the New York Times and the Washington Post.

In 2017, one of my online writer friends, Rina Mae Acosta, introduced me to an illustrator, Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, who told editors at Albert Whitman about my work. They asked me if I would be interested in writing a picture book about sensory issues with autism. After a few revisions, they made an offer on the book, and Joanne ended up illustrating it!

That's awesome! What's your debut picture book about?

TOO STICKY! SENSORY ISSUES WITH AUTISM is the story of an autistic girl named Holly who has a fear of sticky hands. She’s anxious about slime-day at school. But with the help of her family, teacher, and classmates, Holly gives slime a try. TOO STICKY! is based on my own and my daughter’s experiences living with autism and sensory issues. The fear of sticky hands is actually more of a sensory issue for me than my daughter. My daughter is much more willing to play with slime or playdough than I ever was.

What inspired you to write it?

I wrote TOO STICKY! because I wanted my kids to see themselves in a picture book. Most picture books that address autism aren’t written from the point of view of an autistic character. I named three characters in TOO STICKY! after my kids, so they could really picture themselves in the story. Watching them giggle when we read the F&G together for the first time is a moment I will never forget.

Jen's kids playing with slime.

As you did your research for your book, did you learn something new?

For accuracy, I researched the science of slime. The back matter in TOO STICKY! includes a slime recipe. I had also interviewed autism researchers from around the world, and developed a special interest in the gender differences with autism. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for every four boys diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, only one girl is diagnosed.

An editor at Albert Whitman read my first essay for the New York Times, “What a Muppet with Autism Means to My Family,” which focuses on Sesame Street’s autistic Muppet, Julia. She then asked me to write TOO STICKY! with an autistic girl as the main character.

In my most recent essay for the New York Times, “My Daughter and I Were Diagnosed with Autism on the Same Day,” I wrote about autistic females who are often overlooked for an autism diagnosis, including me and my daughter. When we were diagnosed, she was two and I was thirty-nine. All of the other children’s books I’ve drafted so far have autistic girls as the main characters to raise awareness and acceptance, especially for autistic females.

Why do you hope children will read your book?

I hope autistic kids will read TOO STICKY! so they see a character that reflects their own life experiences. My book is not a book about autism; it’s a book about a girl who happens to be autistic. She goes about her everyday life. She has pancakes with her family for breakfast. She interacts with her classmates at school. She loves science. But she experiences the world through an autistic lens. Her autism is part of her identity.

I also hope that other kids who read TOO STICKY! will have a better understanding of autism and will be more accepting of differences. Just as preschool kids watching Sesame Street find Julia to be a likable character, I want kids reading TOO STICKY! to root for Holly.

Your book, I know, will be a winner not only with parents and educators of autistic children the world over, but with those kids like Holly who might have a challenge when stickiness gets on their hands. Thanks so much for sharing your journey, Jen! It is truly inspiring.

You are more than welcome.

Too Sticky! Sensory Issues with Autism
written by Jen Malia and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff is about Holly, who loves doing experiments and learning new things in science class! But when she finds out the next experiment is making slime, she’s worried. Slime is made with glue, and glue is sticky. Holly has sensory issues because of her autism and doesn’t like anything sticky! With help from family and her teacher, Holly receives the accommodations and encouragement she needs to give slime a try.
Released by Albert Whitman & Company, April 2020

“Charming, inclusive, and grounded in real-life experiences.” –Kirkus
Purchase your copy, HERE.

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Welcome, Dawn P. Noren, NOAA Scientist!

4/30/2020

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Photo: NOAA/Holly Fearnbach

In 2019, my book, ORCAS, was published by Scholastic Press in their Nature's Children Series. I really, really, REALLY enjoyed doing the research for this book, and many orca scientists helped along the way, including Dawn P. Noren, a research fishery biologist with NOAA. I so appreciated her expertise-sharing that I sent her (and her kids) one of my scarce five author copies. It is now my privilege to interview Dawn, and in a following post to share what her kids thought of my book.!

Welcome, Dawn! Thanks for taking the time to share a little about your important work.

No problem, Dionna. Happy to be here.

So, at what point in your life did you decide to become a cetologist (a scientist who studies whales)?

I have been interested in dolphins since I was about 8 or 9 years old. I initially wanted to study behavior but realized during my senior year of undergrad that I should probably study physiology. An interesting fact is that studying the physiology of wild, free-ranging whales and dolphins is very difficult to do since they are in the water their entire lives. I studied thermoregulation and diving physiology of trained bottlenose dolphins in the Bahamas for my master's degree, but switched to studying wild northern elephant seal fasting physiology in California for my PhD degree because of how much easier they are to study since they haul out on the beach for long periods of time. I also studied Steller sea lions in Alaska for my post-doctoral work and then returned to studying cetaceans when I landed my current job conducting research on killer whales.

Any particular childhood experience cement your love for orcas?

I really liked bottlenose dolphins when I was younger. This was based on marine life shows and documentaries I saw on TV and learning about the plight of dolphins and their interaction with the tuna fishery. I was impressed by the size of killer whales when I first saw one at SeaWorld San Diego during a trip I took while in college.

During my later years in college, I interned at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, first on the fish side and then with the dolphins and seals. Before that time, I had considered becoming a marine mammal trainer. That second internship with the marine mammals made me realize that I preferred studying them, rather than training them. I was intrigued by the challenge of trying to figure out how they, as warm-blooded, air-breathing mammals, adapted so well to their aqueous environment. I also wanted to conduct research that would be important for conservation.

As an orca scientist, what type of research do you do, and why do you love it?

I classify myself as a physiological ecologist. That is someone who studies how an organism's physiology allows it to function in its environment and how the organism's environment affects the organism's physiology. Because of this, I work on many different kinds of research projects, but most focus on quantifying and understanding the factors that impact the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population. I have conducted studies investigating killer whale behavioral responses to vessels; the energetic cost of dolphin and killer whale responses to vessels (increased swimming speed, performing surface active behaviors, and producing/increasing loudness of whistles and clicks); how body morphometric measurements (think BMI in humans) reflect killer whale condition and health; how much food killer whales need to eat; and how female killer whales pass contaminants to their calves during pregnancy and through their milk during the nursing period. Many physiological studies are impossible to conduct on wild killer whales, due to accessibility issues, so I have relied on studying trained bottlenose dolphins and killer whales for several of the research projects listed.

Photo: Gregory Smith (Creative Commons)

What type of subjects would you say kids interested in becoming orca scientists should study even before they enter college? In your opinion, what else might they do while they're young to see if it's a suitable job for them?

Even though I am a person that studies cetaceans, I have a very broad background in science. Science and math classes, including calculus, are important! That was also evident in college. I had to take physics, biology, physiology, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, genetics, statistics, and other science classes in college. Things have changed a lot since I was in school, but besides realizing if you like/can handle math and science classes in middle school and high school, there isn't much more a younger person can do, unless there is an internship opportunity. Those may be limited to older students, though.

What lesson(s) on living a good life has orca behavior taught you?

Their social structure is amazing. Family is very important, and they help their kin. They share food with each other, babysit each other's calves, and help other individuals in need. It is a beautiful, good way to live.

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Dawn. I so appreciate it! Stay well, you and yours.

My pleasure, and you too!

Dr. Dawn Noren is a research fishery biologist at the NOAA Fisheries Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, WA. She is currently a member of the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee and primarily works with the environmental concerns and whale watching sub-committees. Dr. Noren earned a M.S. in Marine Sciences and a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, both from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Marine Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park. To learn more about Dr. Noren, check out her staff profile with links to some of the research papers she has published, HERE.

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TAG YOUR DREAMS Blog Party! Day 2

4/2/2020

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Welcome, Iris Deppe,
illustrator of Tag Your Dreams!

So excited to have you here, Iris, and to be celebrating the release of Tag Your Dreams: Poems of Play and Persistence--written by Jacqueline Jules and illustrated by you!

The pleasure is all mine, Dionna.

Do tell. What was your process for inspiration once you read Jacqueline Jules's poems in Tag Your Dreams?

First, I tried to remember the feeling I used to get when I did something active as a kid--the fun I had and the friends I made while doing sports. Being active wasn’t just the thrill of learning a new skill, it was also a way of learning to be a team player, plus realizing what your own body is capable of! Besides reminiscing, I also re-watched (parts of) some sports-related movies from the 90s, which I loved as a kid. "The Mighty Ducks", "Sidekicks" and "The Sandlot’"are just a few that came to mind. I would say these movies inspired me visually during the process of this book.

Why did you choose such an airy, light color pallet when illustrating this book, and what medium did you use?

Jacqueline’s words seemed very light and sometimes dreamy to me, so I wanted the drawings to translate that atmosphere, almost like a breath of fresh air for the readers. So light, airy colours seemed appropriate, especially since many of the illustrations take place outside. I work with mixed media. I draw all the figures and elements by hand, scan them in and afterwards colour them in and place them in compositions with my computer.

Why did you decided to portray the children in Tag Your Dreams as coming from all walks of life?

I think it’s important that every kid can relate to the characters in these poems. Playing and being active is a trait all kids in the world possess. It’s a universal thing, so I wanted all these kids to be represented in this book.

Why did you enjoy illustrating this book?

I really enjoyed diving into my childhood for this project and getting acquainted with sports I’d never heard of before, like flag football, kickball or foursquare. Now I feel very up to date when it comes to sports and less of an old fart--haha.

Why do you hope children read and enjoy the illustrations in this book?

I hope they will feel inspired to pick up sports and just get active and ambitious and most of all, have a lot of fun doing it!

Iris Deppe was born and raised in the Caribbean, lived in the Netherlands for several years where she studied Illustration at HKU University of the Arts and is currently residing in Copenhagen, Denmark. Iris enjoys working on many different projects, from drawings, collages and album covers to children’s book illustrations and film. She finds inspiration in absurd situations, (human) nature, 60s & 70s music, the dark side of YouTube and has a big love for primary colours and the sea. irisdeppe.com

Order your copy HERE.

Images used with permission from Albert Whitman & Company

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TAG YOUR DREAMS Blog Party! Day 1

4/1/2020

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Welcome, Jacqueline Jules!
Happy Book-Launch Day!

I am honored and delighted to be hosting today's blog party to celebrate the release of Jacqueline Jules's latest book for children, Tag Your Dreams: Poems of Play and Persistence. Welcome, Jacqueline!

It's great to be here, Dionna!

Do tell. Why did you decide to write a collection of poems featuring outdoor play for young readers?

Sports and games are filled with metaphors for courage, mindfulness, and self-discovery. Volleyball is one example. The rules say double hits are against the rules. That means the game needs a team effort, rather than an individual star to win. An outfielder who is running fast to catch a ball must still pay attention to the fence behind the field. Isn’t that a perfect metaphor for why we need to slow down sometimes to reach a goal? I love to walk in my neighborhood. Sometimes I will go outside, even when rain clouds are near, because it is exhilarating to enjoy the moment, regardless of what the future may bring. Writing Tag Your Dreams gave me the opportunity to explore these and many other rich metaphors.

So true, Jacqueline! Some of your poems include themes like getting back up, accepting a loss, and dealing with frustration. Why do you feel themes like those are important to address with young ones?

Many of these poems are pep talks to myself. I wrote the title poem, “Tag Your Dreams,” when I was feeling discouraged about my writing career. Writing the poem bolstered my determination to keep writing and pursuing my own dreams. I have always been drawn to stories of perseverance. The poem “Pedaling to Piano” is about a boy who learns he can heal and feel stronger after a bad fall on his bike. “Knocking Down Ghosts” is about facing one’s fear of failure in a bowling alley. “Last Pick for Kickball” shares the emotions of a girl who surprises her peers by scoring. Each poem in Tag Your Dreams uses a sport or activity as a vehicle of self-discovery.

Life is filled with setback and loss. The ability to stand up after being knocked flat as the poem “Tae Kwon Do” describes is essential to a successful and meaningful life.

I noticed that all of your poems in Tag Your Dreams are free verse. As a poet, do you prefer writing free verse poetry as compared to writing in rhyme or following the structure of other forms of poetry?

While I occasionally write in rhyme, I prefer free verse. Free verse is all about economy of language. It is an exciting challenge to convey meaning compactly, with only a few words. In my writing, I strive to pack each word with power. I also love alliteration. Using the same syllable in close succession creates a lovely musical sound.

When I teach poetry workshops to young people, I encourage students to think about what they want to say first before they try to rhyme. Sometimes students choose words because they rhyme, not because it is what they want to say. Self-expression should always come first when you write a poem.

How long did it take for you to complete this collection of poems?

I began Tag Your Dreams over twenty years ago, when my sons were still living at home. Both of my boys loved sports. Our family life revolved around the attendance of youth baseball and basketball games. I also had partial season tickets to the Capitals to watch NHL hockey with my youngest son. As I attended game after game, I gained an appreciation for the courage athletes display in the face of challenges, particularly young athletes. It is not easy to go back to the plate after striking out, but that is what baseball players must do. Watching this inspired me to write the poem, “At Bat,” in the mid 1990’s.

Sometime later, I was watching the Winter Olympics and was blown away by a male skater who rose after a fall as if the question of getting up never existed at all. That inspiring moment became the poem, “Olympic Skater.” Working out at the gym one evening, I had a sudden memory of learning to ski as an adult, prompting me to write “Graceless Girl Skis Down Slope.” Little by little, my poems about sports and being active accumulated. I published several in different magazines for young people which reverted the rights to me after publication. Years later, I realized I had enough poems for a poetry collection. I submitted twenty-two to my wonderful editor, Andrea Hall at Albert Whitman. She asked me to write nine more poems to fill out the collection. These additional poems gave me the opportunity to consider the metaphors in games I played as a child and to talk about my current favorite sport—hiking.

What do you appreciate about Iris Deppe's illustrations, which accompany your poems?

I love the joy in the illustrations. The faces of the young people in Tag Your Dreams are very expressive. And I love how the young people shown on these pages represent the beautiful diversity in our vast world.

Jacqueline Jules became a writer because she loves to play with words. Her love of words began with her love of reading. As a child, she sat for hours--sometimes in the crook of an apple tree, sometimes in an easy chair--lost in absorbing mysteries, fantasies, biographies, and realistic or historical fiction. She doesn't have a preference for a particular genre. She's just an enthusiastic fan of a good story with compelling characters. In addition to being an award-winning author of numerous picture books and chapter books for children, she is also an award-winning poet, teacher and a librarian. Find her at www.jacquelinejules.com and on Twitter @jacquelinejules.

Order your copy HERE.

Images used with permission from Albert Whitman & Company

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Welcome, Tami Traylor, Kidlit Illustrator!

3/30/2020

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Thanks so much for stopping by, Tami, and for sharing a little bit about themed illustrating prompts that kidlit artists might share on their social media accounts.

Happy to share, though I must confess, I really feel like quite a failure at daily prompt illustrator challenges.

Your work is no fail in my book! So exactly, what are these illustrator challenges and how many have you tried out?

I’m referring specifically to thematic art challenges that encourage participants to create and post to social media a prompted artwork each day of the month using the hashtag of the challenge. I began a great number of these hashtagged art challenges with high expectations but never seemed to make it past the first ten days. I could blame my failure on being a mom and a freelancer. As much as I’d love to spend endless hours at my drawing table, I still have to pay the bills, cook meals, feed hungry felines.

Life is busy.

True this. So why bother doing these challenges at all? Why not find something else to put your creative energy into, especially if you feel like you fail at completing them?

Those short bursts of concentrated work I've done over the past five years always marked some big turning points in my artistic growth. For example, attempting #kidlitart28 in February of 2019 helped me polish my digital techniques. The short timeframe I had to work within to post an illustration every day forced me to be very deliberate with the tools I used.

My #inktober artwork a few years back sparked a story about some raccoons that eventually morphed into a character-driven picture-book dummy. Last year’s #inktober helped me flesh out the two main characters in a middle-grade historical mystery also under development. In addition, quite a few challenge pieces eventually made it into my portfolio after I further realized the artwork. A couple designs even became promotional postcards.

What advice do you have for kidlit illustrators out there who might be on the fence about doing these art challenges?

On one hand, challenges can be a great way to exercise and grow your skills and creativity. They provide an opportunity to experiment and a chance to connect with a community of like-minded artists. If you’ve never tried a daily art challenge, I recommend you give it a shot. Even if you manage only ten posts, you’ll still see benefits. On the other hand, if doing a challenge is not enjoyable or is too stressful, then don't do it. You have to do what works for you as an artist.

Any tips for those giving a challenge a whirl?

I have five.

1. Polish your illustration technique.

Whether you use a dip pen or a stylus, you can use a daily challenge to perfect your mark-making. The repetition of drawing daily helps hone skills and build muscle memory.

2. Get familiar with drawing/painting a particular subject.

One of the best ways to improve at drawing a thing is to actually draw that thing...a lot! For example, if you have trouble drawing dogs, try doing a dog a day for #doggust during the month of August. Or for #inktober, choose your own topic, like houses, vehicles, or marsupials during the month of October. The sky’s the limit and I guarantee you’ll feel more confident drawing the thing once you’ve churned out thirty of them.

3. Make your own rules.

If daily posting makes you cringe, set an every-other-day goal or post once a week. No one will judge you. I promise. Folks will be just as happy to see what you’re sharing weekly. You can even challenge yourself to do one fully realized portfolio piece in the theme of that challenge by the end of the month.

4. Use the challenge to develop a story.

Imagine the possibilities of writing a picture book centered on the challenge theme or your own chosen theme. Some artists will use prompts to develop a running, daily narrative tale, which builds suspense and brings viewers back to their social media page.

5. Do the heavy lifting ahead of time.

There’s nothing to prevent you from storyboarding and sketching ideas for a challenge before the challenge month begins.

Good tips! Would you please share some monthly challenges that are out there for anyone to try?

Sure! Here are ten:

For February, post what you love: #kidlitart28
For March, post robots: #marchofrobots
For May, post mermaids: #MerMay
For June, post unicorns: #junicorn
For August, post dogs and/or dragons: #doggust and #smaugust
For September, post your sketches: #sketchtember
For October, post inked sketches: #inktober
For November, post fictional maps: #mapvember
For December, post anything you draw: #drawcember

Thanks for those, Tami, and for stopping by to share your not-fails with us!

My pleasure.

Tami Traylor is an illustrator and graphic designer living in Chesterfield, Virginia, with three cats, two kids, and one husband. She's been drawing and telling stories since she could hold a pencil. Her love of books and drawing goes back to her earliest memories. Those early books love drove her to pursue the study of design and illustration in college. She's been a member of SCBWI since 2005, and the graphic designer of the Highlighter, the quarterly newsletter of the Mid-Atlantic regional of SCBWI, since 2007. She’s the illustrator of THE 12 DANCING PRINCESSES by Carly Graf (ustyme, 2015). Check out Tami's art-themed posts on Instagram @traylorillo or on her website traylorillo.com.

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Cynthia Cliff: Kidlit Artist with a Folksy Flare

1/21/2020

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How did you find your way into kidlit art and what do you love about it?

I still vividly remember the books I had when I was a very young child—the smell of them, the sound of the turning pages. I remember the feeling of wonder and excitement I got when books were being read to me, and can still clearly see the illustrations all these years later. Those stories allowed me to escape from my small-town farming community and gave me a bit of a glimpse of the big world out there. Picture book illustrations made a huge positive impression on me, and now as an illustrator I love that I can give that same kind of joy to a child.

Tell us a little about your process.

I do a ton of research and look at lots of photos (I become a bit obsessed), and absorb it all. Then I put it all away so that my art can be original and stylized, and not a copy of what I’ve seen. For portraits, I’ll look at many photos of the real person and draw a composite so that I get a new and unique image and not a copy of an existing image. For character development, I find it’s helpful for me to identify a real person that I can use as inspiration for the character. Then I start to draw, doodle, sketch, and play until I develop my own characters that feel right. I work in colored pencil, pen and gouache, as well as in Photoshop and recently, in Procreate on the iPad.

Why do you love illustrating historical moments and people of historical note?

I grew up in an historical small town where very little changed from generation to generation. I could reach out and touch the past every day—the old well pump in the yard, the cannonball in the barn wall, the prerevolutionary war stone shops in my village. I found Civil War buttons and arrow heads in my backyard and I wondered what life had been like for the people that last held them. When I was a child, a fun family outing was going to a historical site, or listening to an elder share some folklore. I developed a huge appreciation for history and it still fascinates me today. I suppose if I wasn’t an artist of some kind, I’d be involved in history in some way—three of my family members are archaeologists. My goal is to bring history to life for children so they can “see” history and appreciate all that can be learned from it.

What type of details do you look for when doing your research, and how does that research inform your illustrations?

I love to find out how people lived their days—what they wore, ate, listened too, and read. This research informs my art and helps me connect to the subject matter, be excited about it, and find the right vibe for the time period. For instance, when researching for the illustrations I did for the Honest History magazine issue about Tesla and Edison, I looked at many of their personal items, and read about their habits and their communication with each other. I saw that Tesla was a very dapper fellow and owned many gloves to match his custom-made suits, and I noticed a pair of chartreuse gloves in a museum collection about him. To me this color signified his “outside the box” creative thinking, and symbolized how unique he was. So, I used this color for his suit in the whole issue. The color made him stand out on the page, apart from all of the brown and gray dressed folks that were typical of the time period.

What are you working on now and why are you enjoying it?

Right now, I’m writing and illustrating a graphic-novel style book, tentatively called The Night People of Owl Island. This is a mystery book for young readers about a family on vacation and it will contain lots of fun details like a map, some facts about owls, some folk lore, and some “mysterious” people. I’m still in the very beginning stages and am working out the story and starting some character development. I really love organizing and planning a large effort like this one. It will involve the perfect mix of history and nature, and I wake up every day excited to work on it.

Cynthia Cliff lives near Washington DC with her husband and many animals. Her studio is in a pre-Civil War warehouse in old-town Alexandria, Virginia, along the Potomac River. When she's not working, she is diligently researching her family history as she is the keeper of hundreds of family photographs, handed down from mother to daughter, generation to generation. Her passion is for travel, reading, cooking and being outside. All of these things—her past and her present, are sprinkled like sugar in her artwork. They make it richer and more honest. It's a sweet and simple life. Find her at cynthiacliff.com, @ceecliff_art.

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Interviewing Angie Smibert: WFH Pro

12/23/2019

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Welcome, Angie!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy to be here!

As a work-for-hire (WFH) author for publishers like Abdo and Capstone, you've written nearly thirty nonfiction books, many covering STEM topics like robotics and space travel. How did you come across this kind of work?

Through my agent(s), I had unsuccessfully tried out for a few fiction WFH projects. Then I discovered the educational WFH market, STEM nonfiction in particular. That seemed a natural fit for me. Before writing fiction (and teaching), I’d been a science writer for over twenty years, working with NASA, the Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

How would you suggest an author break into educational (or trade) market WFH?

First of all, book packagers and publishers typically have a pool of writers to which they assign books or other projects. Some publishers use packagers or producers. Others work directly with writers. Either way, to get considered for upcoming projects, you need to get yourself into one or more of those pools. You need to find your niche.

How did you find your niche?

My niche wasn’t too hard to figure out. I wrote about space, the environment, and technology for adults for years. Plus, I also did a little coding. So my niche became STEM for elementary and middle school readers. For this age, most of these books are what’s called high interest. Wrapped in glossy covers, high-interest books are chock full of visuals and sidebars. Most include activities, prompts, discussion points, and/or other special features. Often, publishers try to correlate those special features to align with Common Core and/or other standards.

What if STEM is not an author's thing?

If STEM is not your thing, don’t worry. The educational market spans many, many nonfiction topics, formats, and age ranges. For instance, sports books are huge. (I even wrote a STEM sports book.) So are history, biographies, animals, health and fitness, careers, crafts, and social studies, to name just a few. And publishers need these books at all reading levels, including hi-lo and leveled readers. (Many publishers put out these books in Spanish too.) The most important thing is being able to research a certain topic and then be able to break down the concepts without writing down to young readers.

How might authors find a potential market for their WFH services, even if they don't have an agent?

You can find educational publishers and book packagers through a number of resources. Once you find publishers and/or packagers that interest you, study their catalogs, and double-check their websites for submission guidelines for freelancers. You can also check out Molly Blaisdell’s work-for-hire select educational publishers list.

Once you’ve decided who you want to work for and in what areas, you need to send them a cover letter as well as samples of your work. If you don’t have any samples, you may have to write some, depending on the publisher/packager. Some might request a resume instead. Most publishers and producers include freelancer or work-for-hire information on their websites.

What should authors include in their cover letters, and should they expect a reply?

The cover letter is really the critical element. In it, describe your experience, areas of expertise, education, publication history, availability, and so forth. Be specific! Don’t just say your expertise is STEM. For instance, I usually say my areas are space, environmental science, computers, and internet technology. Your specific expertise and experience may get you the gig.

Send out the samples and cover letter—and wait. You may not hear anything until the publisher or packager has a project that fits your skills and interests. This could be a week or two—or many, many months.

Do you enjoy doing work-for-hire projects and does it pay well?

I enjoy the work, but to be brutally honest, the pay rates can be very low ($300 for a 500–750-word book, for example) and the turnaround times can be extremely tight (as little as one month!). So you need to be able to research and write quickly and efficiently—not just to meet the deadlines but to also make it worth your time. However, I would say that WFH can be a solid way to fill in pesky income gaps. And I know some WFH authors who do school visits to help generate revenue. But I think you should do WFH only if you love writing about science and technology—or whatever your niche is.

Thanks again, Angie, for stopping by and for sharing your WFH know-how!

My pleasure, Dionna.

Angie Smibert, a Mid-Atlantic SCBWI member, has penned several YA and MG science-fiction and fantasy novels. So far, she’s published twenty-six educational work-for-hire titles. As a science writer for adults, Angie received NASA’s prestigious Silver Snoopy award. Many of her work-for-hire books for younger readers are published within award-winning science series. Angie teaches writing for Indiana University East and for the online MFA program at Southern New Hampshire University. Find her online at angiesmibert.com.

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Welcome, Alvina Ling, Editor Extraordinaire!

8/23/2019

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My Mama's Chicken & Dumplings Mentor!

Alvina, thanks so much for allowing me to interview you!

Delighted to oblige!

First question for you. Despite being an über busy vice-president and editor-in-chief at Little Brown Books for Young Readers, why did you decide to volunteer your time to mentor a children's book author from a diverse background, even without knowing if the manuscript you chose from the selections you received from The Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary would ultimately be publishable?

I have worked my whole career trying to bring diverse voices to children's books. As an industry we are working really hard to publish books written and illustrated by authors and illustrators from all walks of life. So when I heard about working as a mentor with The Word, a non-profit whose vision aligns with my own, I felt like it was something I wanted to be involved in. Actually, I wanted other Little Brown editors to get on board, too, and they were happy to do so. Aside from critiquing at SCBWI conferences, I was also really interested in seeing how a mentor-mentee relationship worked.

So very generous of your time, Alvina! Okay, here's question two. (Admittedly, this question makes me feel awkward since I'm way more comfortable highlighting the work of other kidlit authors and illustrators, but if I don't ask it, I won't have much of an interview, will I. So here goes.) Why did you choose to mentor me and my middle-grade manuscript Mama's Chicken & Dumplings?

I was presented with three choices. As I read the first fifty pages of each middle grade, I was looking for something that had the most potential. A manuscript I could help. I fell in love with the voice and the characters found in Mama's Chicken & Dumplings. I responded to it. Even if this manuscript is not the one that gets published, perhaps this kick will bring its author to the next manuscript that will.

Ha-Ha! I believe its author appreciates the editor's kick. Okay, here's my last question for you. Why would you encourage other editors in the children's book community to carve out time from their busy schedules to mentor writers from all walks of life?

If editors are serious about bringing a range of inclusive books for readers from diverse backgrounds, then there's nothing quite like getting involved in mentoring like this.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Alvina. But I really have to go now. I've got a manuscript to revise, and I'm in the midst of obsessing over chapter one.

Happy to stop by! But chapter one? Really? Do we need another kick?

A chocolate-covered truffle kick might do the trick.

Photo: Maggie Edkins

Alvina Ling is a founding member and former chair of the Children’s Book Council's Diversity Committee. She has a particular passion for books with diverse characters and themes. She's also a sucker for books that feel completely unique, books that can make make her both laugh and sob, and books that can be described (in all seriousness) as "important." She started her career at Little Brown for Young Readers in 1999, and currently oversees their core picture book, middle grade, and young adult lists. You can hear her speaking on life and all kinds of kidlit topics with her lifelong friend and award-winning author-illustrator, Grace Lin, on their Book Friends Forever podcast.

Alvina and Dionna's editor-writer mentorship program is sponsored by The Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary. The program pairs four aspiring writers from underrepresented groups with an experienced editor who provides substantive feedback to help raise their already strong manuscripts to their best position for submission to potential agents and editors.

The program offers each author an opportunity to gain knowledge from experienced acquiring editors. It does not, however, guarantee publication. It is free of cost to the authors due to the generosity of the volunteer editors. Learn more about The Word's 2019 mentorship program HERE and read a PW Bookshelf article about it HERE.

Illustrations are used with permission from the publisher.

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Welcome, Karen Kane, sign-language interpreter by day, children's book author by night (and at all times in between)!

6/30/2019

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Salutations, Karen! So happy to have you here! Please, do tell about your journey to becoming a kidlit author.

Glad to be here, Dionna!

To answer your question, I’ve always loved to read, but I didn’t start writing books until I had read The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. Part of The Artist Way program is to free-write three pages a day. You write about anything—how grumpy you feel, what you ate for breakfast, what is annoying you. You just dump. The idea is that by page three you have cleared away enough of your brain clutter to find out what is underneath. And for me what was underneath was the dream of writing a children’s book. The beginning of my manuscript The Hayley Show was started in my morning pages. Although I didn’t sell it, that book got me my agent.

In 2010, I joined SCBWI, which became a wonderful source of support and information. Through SCBWI, I learned about Vermont College of Fine Arts Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program. And it was at VCFA that I wrote Charlie & Frog.

Why did you decide to write this story, one that features the Deaf community?

I never planned to write about the Deaf community. I always felt that my writing life and my life as a sign language interpreter were separate entities. But all those years I was interpreting, this story was percolating—I just didn’t know it. One of my advisors at VCFA, A.S. King, wanted me to write something new. She felt I would grow more as a writer with new material. So I began writing short stories. And then one day, while sitting at my computer, this story started to come out of me. And Frog, who is Deaf, came to me clear and strong. Her character was easy to write.

What about your characters and their friendship mirrors your life-experiences?

I tend to be more like Charlie, the quieter one. Frog fights for what she wants and has never met a stranger. Not that being quiet means weakness. Charlie is anything but weak. But Frog helps Charlie find his own strength by modeling her own power and inner drive. That is true for me, too—my closest friends show me how I can embrace my own strengths. Also, as a kid, I had fun exploring with my best friend. I wanted Charlie & Frog to have that same freedom to explore the village of Castle-on-the-Hudson. And who wouldn’t want to ride a gondola across the river on their own? Sign me up!

How did you find a home for Charlie & Frog at Disney-Hyperion and why were you pleased?

When my agent tried to sell The Hayley Show, I had about seventeen rejections (I lost count!), and one editor who was interested, but who couldn’t convince her publishing house to buy it. Ten years later, I was fortunate to have five editors who wanted Charlie and Frog! (Moral: Don’t give up! Keep writing!)

My editor at Disney-Hyperion, Tracey Keevan, is terrific. Tracey happened to watch a documentary about Martha’s Vineyard one week before she received my manuscript. Two hundred years ago, Martha’s Vineyard had a large Deaf population. Both hearing people and Deaf people signed on the island. When looking back, islanders often couldn’t remember who was Deaf and who was hearing because everyone signed. Tracey was excited to work on this story after watching that film. And I was thrilled that Disney-Hyperion hired a Deaf artist, Carlisle Robinson, to illustrate the inside chapter artwork of Charlie & Frog!

What are you working on now, and why are you enjoying it?

I am currently promoting my second Charlie & Frog book--The Boney Hand! It was published in June 2019. I love the characters and setting of Charlie & Frog, so it’s wonderful to be immersed in them again. I am also working on a picture book. Picture books just make me happy. And it’s a nice change of pace from a middle-grade book, as they are so different from each other.

Karen Kane’s path to Charlie & Frog led her from a small village near Rochester, NY, to the bustle of Washington, DC. The people she met along the way inspired her writing with their warmth and humor, especially those in the Deaf community. Karen graduated from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. When she’s not writing, Karen spends her days as a sign language interpreter at Gallaudet University or lost in the stacks of her local library. Charlie & Frog, her debut novel. was nominated for a 2019 Edgar Award Nominated Book in the Best Juvenile category! Find her online at Karen Kane Books.

All Charlie Tickler wants is for his parents to listen. All Francine (a.k.a Frog) Castle wants is to be the world’s greatest detective. So begins the friendship of Charlie and Frog, who soon become a crime-solving duo, restoring order to Castle-on-the-Hudson. Click the above covers to order your copy today!

ASL-Kids images used with permission.

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Welcoming Angela Dominguez, award-winning children's book author & illustrator!

6/29/2019

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Salutations, Angela! Thanks so much for stopping by to chat with us. So, how did you find your way to becoming a kidlit artist?

I always knew I wanted to do something creative. However, it wasn’t until college that I decided I wanted to be an illustrator. There were so many majors in art school. It was difficult to pick just one. Thankfully, I had a 2D-design teacher whose work inspired me to study illustration. His work was similar to Lane Smith’s traditional illustrations, and it reminded me of how much I loved the The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. It rekindled my childhood obsession with creating books.

From there, it wasn’t a direct shot into doing kidlit. I studied general illustration and thought I would be an editorial illustrator. There was such a prestige about that type of work. Still, outside of class I found myself drawn to children’s book illustration. I even placed in an international children’s book illustration competition called Teatro while I was still a student. Despite that, it wasn’t until the last semester of school when I took a children’s book illustration class that everything aligned.

For the first time, I could play with camera angles, humor, and a rhythm. I could tell stories, something I always loved. I could get lost creating a whole world for a book. I also had an excuse to read a ton of a kidlit! With some hard work and some luck, I started getting interest in the work as soon as I graduated. Then I was recommended to SCBWI by Abigal Samoun, who at the time was still an editor. She now has her own literary agency called Red Fox Literary.

SCBWI really helped launch my career. I received my first small book from Children’s Book Press at Illustrator’s Day in San Francisco. More importantly my book, Maria Had a Little Llama, began as assignment from a SCBWI Spirit conference in Davis, California. I am happy to say I’ve been illustrating for over ten years and writing six years professionally.

What do you love about being a children's book creator?

I love telling a narrative and being able to draw things that I find amusing. I’ve always been on the sillier side so this is the perfect outlet for me. Also I adore the marriage of words and pictures. As a child, I could get lost reading a book and that never went away. Now, more and more, it’s the interaction with the kids that really motivates me. Seeing what they relate to during school presentations—not just what I relate to—gives me inspiration.

As you've been honing your craft over the years, what's one of the biggest things you've learned so far.

Luckily, I studied illustration, so my learning curve with the craft has been easier. I think the biggest things is learning how to draw kids well. It’s been a bunch of practice and studying different illustrator’s work. I’ve even created a graduate character design for a children’s book course at the Academy of Art University. When it comes to being an author, the learning curve has been larger. I often force myself to write for practice and I read children’s literature as much possible.

Probably the biggest learning curve though, is realizing the amount of promotion and business skills you need to have. People assume because it’s a creative field and everything can be done at home that you don’t have to network or promote, but that’s a huge part of the job. After all, this children’s literature is its own business.

What types of manuscripts do you love illustrating and why?

My favorite books to illustrate are ones that either feature animals and/or have plenty of room of interpretation. Probably one of my favorite books to illustrate was MARTA! BIG AND SMALL. It has minimal text so I was able to come up a with concept for where these animals lived. That was great collaborative project. I also love illustrating my own stories because there is even room to be creative!

What are you working on now and are you having fun?

I am working on a picture book with Candlewick. It’s still in the early stages, but it’s about a girl who is scared of bees. Coming up with expressions and reactions has been so much fun. I’m also working on a few story ideas. I find that it’s important to always be generating new projects for myself. It keeps me busy and hopefully it turns into a book!

angeladominguezbooks.com

Angela Dominguez was born in Mexico City but grew up in the great state of Texas. She is the author and illustrator of several children's books and a two-time recipient of Pura Belpré Illustration Honor. Her debut middle grade, Stella Díaz Has Something To Say, was a New York Public Library and a Chicago Public Library pick for Best Books for Kids in 2018, winner of SCBWI Sid Fleischman Award, and an ALA Notable. When Angela is not in her studio or visiting schools, she teaches at the Academy of Art University. She is represented by Wernick and Pratt Literary Agency.

Images featured in this blog post are used with permission from Angela Dominguez and Lee & Low Books, Inc.

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Welcome, Susan VanHecke, copyeditor extraordinaire!

6/13/2019

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Salutations, Susan! Thanks so much for stopping by to share with us the ins and outs of what you do as a copyeditor for publishers of books written for younger audiences.

Hi, Dionna! Glad to be here. What do you want to know?

Once an author sells a manuscript, when does a copyeditor step in with his or her red pen?

The minute a contract is signed, an author is welcomed to the editorial process, where the manuscript will be honed and polished to its greatest shining potential, most likely with help from a copyeditor.

But what, exactly, does a copyeditor do?

Once the author and editor have ironed out the big-picture components of the story—plot and character development, structure, pacing—most likely through a few rounds of revision, the manuscript heads to copyediting. Here the focus on the text goes from wide-angle to close-up. The copyeditor puts the manuscript under the microscope, correcting errors, querying questionable passages, and preparing a style sheet, a record of editorial choices that's used throughout the production process to keep everyone on the same, well, page.

Through several reads, the copyeditor will scour the manuscript word for word, sussing out errors and inconsistencies. He or she will correct faulty spelling, grammar, punctuation, and usage and ensure consistency in spelling, hyphenation, numerals, fonts, and capitalization. The copyeditor will track continuity of plot, setting, and character, keep on top of chronology, and fact-check people, places, and events for accuracy. He or she may also eliminate wordiness and clichéd writing, smooth out transitions, and revise sentences for flow and readability.

WOW! I had no idea a copyeditor did so much! Is there more?

Whenever the copyeditor comes across a confusing or possibly incorrect passage in the manuscript, he or she will flag it with a query. Just like it sounds, the query is the copyeditor’s question to the author on behalf of the reader. If a phrase, sentence, paragraph, or turn of events doesn’t seem to make sense, instead of revising the passage directly, the copyeditor will ask about it in a query, leaving the tweaking up to the author. The helpful copyeditor will often suggest a possible revision in the query.

The copyeditor will also format the manuscript to comport with the publisher’s in-house style guide. The style guide is a compilation of editorial preferences specific to that publisher. For example, some publishers like signs, labels, and words on T-shirts to be set in SMALL CAPS. Others prefer ALL CAPS. Or Initial Caps. Or “Initial Caps with Quotation Marks.”

But what if editorial changes are made, and the manuscript evolves?

To keep track of all editorial decisions made while working on a manuscript, the copyeditor will create a style sheet. This document lists character names and info, unusual words not in the dictionary, treatment of words and numbers, story timeline, and other issues specific to the manuscript. This helps all those working with the text at the publishing house—editors, copyeditors, proofreaders—keep things consistent. That way, green-eyed Tasha Clark of 212 Erie Place who turned fifteen on page 6 doesn’t become brown-eyed sixteen-year-old Sasha Clarke of 221 Eerie Court on page 206.

When the copyeditor is finished, the manuscript will be returned to the author's editor, who might add more comments before forwarding it to the author.

Do authors sometimes get overwhelmed by all the corrections and suggestions?

An author can, understandably, feel overwhelmed by the copyeditor’s corrections and queries. All those marks! My advice to them is don’t freak—the copyeditor’s working in your best interest. However, the book is, of course, the author's—so the author shouldn't think every correction or revision must be accepted. There’s a magic word in copyediting: stet. It means “go back to the original.” The author can override any of the copyeditor’s marks with that simple word (though the editor may disagree and discuss with the author why).

Remember, the copyeditor’s always got the author’s back. Your copyeditor’s mission is to help make the book its absolute best. Once all the issues spotted in copyediting are addressed and resolved, the manuscript will be ready to move to production, continuing its transformation from words tapped out on the computer to that gorgeous book in a reader's hand.

Authors should feel privileged to have your red pen and sharp copyeditor's mind keeping watch over their manuscripts, Susan! I know I'm honored to have your trusty red pen upon the Highlighter, the newsletter serving the Mid-Atlantic SCBWI, of which I am the content editor!

How might publishers contact you?

They can find me at SusanVanHeckeEditorial.com, my copyeditor's website and thanks again for having me, Dionna!

The pleasure's all mine!

Susan VanHecke is a copyeditor for some of the top publishers in the industy. Writing as Susan Wood, she's also the award-winning children's book author of ESQUIVEL! SPACE-AGE SOUND ARTIST, AMERICAN GOTHIC: THE LIFE OF GRANT WOOD, and ELIZABETH WARREN: NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED. You can find out more about Susan's books and her red pen at
SusanWoodBooks, SusanVanHeckeEditorial, and @SusanWoodBooks.

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Welcome, Rashin Kheiriyeh!

5/25/2019

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It's such an honor having you here, Rashin! I love your art. It's full of light and love, and it gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. And I'm sure children reading your books feel the same!

Thank you! I'm happy to be here!

Why did you decide to write and illustrate SAFFRON ICE CREAM?

The reason I wrote this story was because I wanted to open a new window by sharing my immigration story with kids. I wanted to talk about real Iranian families and culture. There are a lot of misconceptions about Iran in the media, and that makes me sad. I also wanted to share with my audience all the wonderful moments I had growing up in Iran. At the end of the day, everyone loves ice cream, and I hope one day kids will experience the awesome taste of Persian ice cream—saffron ice cream—for themselves!

Would you describe the events in SAFFRON ICE CREAM as autobiographical?

SAFFRON ICE CREAM is based on my life but some part of it is fiction. In 1979, I was born in Khorramshahr, a border city next to the Persian Gulf in the southern part of Iran. I was only nine months old when Iraq attacked Khorramshahr and the long eight-year war started. We lost our house and everything we had. My family, with many other refugees, had to move to the northern part of Iran by the Caspian Sea, where I spent most of my childhood. We spent many summer times going to the Caspian Beach. Despite the war and all the difficulties, my amazing parents created a happy childhood for me.

After moving to New York, I was excited when I planned a trip to Coney Island Beach. It was a flashback to all my childhood memories. I was curious. Would there be any rules like those we had on our Iranian beach? Would there be saffron ice cream?

While fine-tuning SAFFRON ICE CREAM, what was it like working with Arthur Levine, your editor, and Marijka Kostiw, your art director?

When I met Arthur at the SCBWI conference in New York, we talked about a new story idea about Iran. Later, I came up with the Caspian Beach idea. Arthur suggested “Saffron Ice Cream” for the title and I loved it. Arthur was such a kind soul to work with and an amazing editor. He was there for me through the whole process. He helped me to add more adventure and whimsical touches to my manuscript.

Marijka was fun to work with and a wonderful art director. She kept me updated about the latest feedback from the design and marketing team. Arthur and Marijka gave me all the space and freedom to draw and experiment with different ideas and techniques. They were always supportive. When I was drawing the dummies, they helped me have a better visual understanding about New York City, encouraging me to include subway signs and outfits from different cultures. It was such fun—our teamwork!

Photo: Sina Nayeri

Rashin Kheiriyeh is an Iranian-born award-winning illustrator, author, animation director, and painter with more than seventy children’s books published around the world. She was a 2017 Maurice Sendak Fellow and New Horizon Award winner at the Bologna Book Fair in 2009. She teaches art at the University of Maryland. Find her online at www.rashinart.com and on Twitter @rashinkheiriyeh.

"With her colorful, exuberant folk-art illustrations and upbeat, friendly tone, Rashin makes a daunting cross-cultural leap seem as easy as a summer breeze.”
~The New York Times Book Review

Arthur A. Levine Books 2018

SAFFRON ICE CREAM, written and illustrated by Rashin, is about a young Iranian girl named Rashin who is excited about her first visit to the beach in her family's new home in Brooklyn. On the way there, she remembers what beach trips were like in Iran—the beautiful Caspian Sea, the Persian music, and most of all, the saffron ice cream she shared with her best friend, Azadeh. But there are wonderful things in this new place as well—a subway train, exciting music, and maybe even a new friend!

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Welcoming kidlit author, public speaker, and double Dutch jumper, Joy Jones!

5/15/2019

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Welcome, Joy!

Congrats about your new release, Fearless Public Speaking! And thanks for stopping by to chat with us about it.

Thanks for having me, and yes, it's exciting! Fearless Public Speaking was just published by SparkNotes, distributed by Sterling Publishing, on May 7, 2019!

What's the book about and why did you decide to write it for young people, ages 12 and up?

Fearless Public Speaking teaches young people how to plan, prepare and deliver a speech with confidence. Outlining, ad-libbing, composing, performing, writing and reciting-- everything you need is found in this fun yet practical guide. I wrote it because many people fear public speaking and a lot of time that fear starts when they’re children. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Actually, I believe that stage fright is your friend--that nervous energy you feel is the power-source that will enable you towards fearless public speaking!

How did you find your home for your book?

SCBWI was the secret ingredient in my success. I had been sending the project out for a long while on my own. But it was when I went to the SCBWI Mid-Atlantic Fall Conference that I had a turn for the better. I met an editor there and initially pitched her a picture book. She didn’t like that book but she said she did like my writing and encouraged me to submit something else. So I did.

What did you enjoy about working with your editor?

My editor was very patient and encouraging. I submitted two books to her before she said yes to Fearless Public Speaking. Although the first two books didn’t appeal to her, she didn’t make me feel like a loser. I felt that I should just keep trying. The third try was the charm!

Why do you hope young people will read it?

Not being afraid to speak in public is a huge advantage. As soon as you get comfortable with standing in front of an audience, you've locked into a powerful personal plus. Besides, if you learn to really enjoy it--it can be a love-and-money combination. To be able to do something you find fun, while boosting yourself professionally, impressing influencers, and even becoming a source of income....it doesn’t get better than that.

What are you working on now?

Currently, I’m shopping around a middle-grade novel about a girl who forms a double Dutch team. In real life, I started a double Dutch team--not as a girl but as an adult. In 2018, DC Retro Jumpers did a three-city tour in Russia as cultural ambassadors, teaching and demonstrating double Dutch! Check us out at dcretrojumpers.com.

Joy Jones has addressed countless audiences-- performance poetry, training workshops, storytelling, classroom teaching. She is the director of the performance poetry group, The Spoken Word and founder of the multigenerational double Dutch team, DC Retro Jumpers. Joy is the author of several books including Private Lessons: A Book of Meditations for Teachers. and Tambourine Moon, which was selected as one of the best books for children by the black caucus of the ALA and featured on the Bernie Mac show. Fearless Public Speaking debuted May 7, 2019. JoyJonesOnline.com

Order your copy of Fearless Public Speaking today.

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OH MY! Kids:Sub-Saharan Artists

Allyfrom Tanzania

​​Christopher from Malawi

Lerato from Malawi

Paulo​ from Tanzania

​Rahim from Tanzania

Samuel from Kenya

​Vicentifrom Tanzania

Yohanifrom Tanzania

"A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork." School Library Journal Purchase your copy today

OH MY! Kidlit Book Designer:​Felicia Macheske

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork." School Library Journal Purchase your copy today

OH MY! Kidlit Editor:​Barb McNally

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork." School Library Journal Purchase your copy today

OH MY! Kidlit Agent:Jennifer Unter

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork." School Library Journal Purchase your copy today

Animal artwork by Yohani from Tanzania

OH MY! Kidlit Author:​Moira Rose Donohue

​A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork." School Library Journal Purchase your copy today

OH MY! Kidlit Author:John Platt

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork." School Library Journal Purchase your copy today

Welcome, Iris Deppe,illustrator of Tag Your Dreams!

Order your copy HERE.

Welcome, Jacqueline Jules!Happy Book-Launch Day!

​Order your copy HERE.

Welcome, Angie!

My Mama's Chicken & Dumplings Mentor!

"With her colorful, exuberant folk-art illustrations and upbeat, friendly tone, Rashin makes a daunting cross-cultural leap seem as easy as a summer breeze.” ~The New York Times Book Review

Welcome, Joy!

Order your copy of Fearless Public Speaking today.

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OH MY! Kids:
Sub-Saharan Artists

Ally
from Tanzania

Christopher
from Malawi

Lerato
from Malawi

Paulo
from Tanzania

Rahim
from Tanzania

Samuel
from Kenya

Vicenti
from Tanzania

Yohani
from Tanzania

"A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

OH MY! Kidlit Book Designer:
Felicia Macheske

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

OH MY! Kidlit Editor:
Barb McNally

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

OH MY! Kidlit Agent:
Jennifer Unter

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

OH MY! Kidlit Author:
Moira Rose Donohue

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

OH MY! Kidlit Author:
John Platt

A successful combination of factual prose and appealing artwork."
School Library Journal
Purchase your copy today

Welcome, Iris Deppe,
illustrator of Tag Your Dreams!

Welcome, Jacqueline Jules!
Happy Book-Launch Day!

Order your copy HERE.

"With her colorful, exuberant folk-art illustrations and upbeat, friendly tone, Rashin makes a daunting cross-cultural leap seem as easy as a summer breeze.”
~The New York Times Book Review